Hossainamzad at 05:49, 21 April 2026

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{{Short description|Indian artist (1968–2018)}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = Ashanthan
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Mahesh V. K.
| birth_date = {{Birth date text|1968}}
| birth_place = [[Edappally]], [[Kerala]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2018|01|31|1968}}
| death_place =
| field = [[Painting]], [[sculptor]]
| training =
| movement =
| works =
| patrons =
| awards = [[Kerala Lalithakala Akademi |Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Award]] (1998, 1999 and 2007)
| children =
| spouse =
}}
'''Mahesh V. K.''' better known as '''Ashanthan''' (1968 – 31 January 2018) was a painter and sculptor from Kerala, India. He also worked in the amateur theatre. He has won the [[Kerala Lalithakala Akademi]] Award three times.

==Biography==
Ashanthan was born in 1968, in [[Edappally]] in [[Eranakulam district]] of Kerala.<ref>{{cite web |title=ARTIST DIRECTORY |url=http://www.kalakeralam.com/artistd/asanthan.htm |website=kalakeralam.com |date=31 December 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011231034401/http://www.kalakeralam.com/artistd/asanthan.htm |archive-date=2001-12-31}}</ref> His original name was Mahesh V. K.<ref name="New Indian Express">{{cite news |last1=archive |first1=our online |title=Artist Ashanthan passes away |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/kerala/2018/Feb/01/artist-ashanthan-passes-away-1766386.html |work=The New Indian Express |date=1 February 2018 |language=en}}</ref> He was born to Kuttappan and Kurumba of Peelyad Thambil house in Ponekara, Edappally.<ref name="madhyamam">{{cite news |last1=ഡെസ്ക് |first1=വെബ് |title=ചിത്രകാരൻ അശാന്തൻ അന്തരിച്ചു {{!}} Painter Asanthan Dies-Kerala News {{!}} Madhyamam |url=https://www.madhyamam.com/kerala/painter-asanthan-dies-kerala-news/2018/jan/31/419618 |work=www.madhyamam.com |date=31 January 2018 |language=ml}}</ref> He also served as a teacher of painting and architecture at the Eka Art Gallery in [[Fort Kochi]] and the Changampuzha Memorial Library in Edappally.<ref name="madhyamam"/>

Ashanthan died on 31 January 2018.<ref name="madhyamam"/>

==Career==
Ashanthan studied painting for four years at 'Chitrashailam' and later worked as a teacher at the same institution for about 10 years.<ref name="New Indian Express"/> Later, he left his job and devoted his full time to art. He became active in the arts after earning a diploma in painting and sculpture.<ref name="Manorama">{{cite news |title=ചിത്രകാരൻ അശാന്തൻ അന്തരിച്ചു |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/kerala/2018/01/31/09-chn-obit-asanthan.html |work=ManoramaOnline |agency=[[Malayala Manorama]]}}</ref> An expert in various styles of painting, Ashanthan had organized various painting exhibitions within and outside the country.<ref name="Manorama"/> He was also active in amateur theater through directing, acting, and art direction.<ref name="Manorama"/>

Ashanthan worked completely away from the commercial arts scene.<ref name="madhyamam"/> Various aspects of nature can be seen in his paintings. Folk arts such as mudiyattam, kathirukala and thudipattu have also been the subject of his paintings.<ref name=TheHindu>{{cite web| title = Capturing the beauty of nature| url = http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/capturing-the-beauty-of-nature/article2544770.ece| publisher = The Hindu Daily| date = 2011-10-17| accessdate = 2018-02-01| archive-date = 2018-01-31| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180131133147/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/capturing-the-beauty-of-nature/article2544770.ece| url-status = bot: unknown}}</ref>

He has held art exhibitions in over 200 locations, including abroad, and has participated in over 90 art camps.

==Awards and honors==
Ashanthan received the [[Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Award]] in 1998, 1999 and 2007.<ref name=academy43>{{cite web | title = കേരള ലളിത കലാ അക്കാദമി പുരസ്കാരങ്ങൾ | url = https://www.lalithkala.org/content/state-awards | publisher = കേരള ലളിത കലാ അക്കാദമി | accessdate = 2018-02-03 | archive-date = 2017-07-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170710044216/https://www.lalithkala.org/content/state-awards }}</ref> He also received the first C. N. Karunakaran Memorial Award.<ref name=kaumudi343>{{cite news | title = Artist Ashanthan dies | url = http://kaumudiglobal.com/innerpage1.php?newsid=102713 | publisher = കൗമുദി ഓൺലൈൻ | date = 2018-01-31 | accessdate = 2018-01-31 | archive-date = 2018-02-03 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180203082958/http://kaumudiglobal.com/innerpage1.php?newsid=102713 }}</ref>

After Ashanthan's death, an exhibition titled 'Shanthasmarana' was organized by the Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi at the Durbar Hall Art Gallery in Kochi, curated by Shaju Nellai, as a tribute to him.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Binoy |first1=Anna |title=Pointing out truth, even after death |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2018/May/21/pointing-out-truth-even-after-death-1817685.html |work=The New Indian Express |date=22 May 2018 |language=en}}</ref> The 2018 [[Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala|Mahatma Gandhi University Art Festival]] was named ''Ashantham'' in his honor.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Correspondent |first1=Special |title='Asantham' to pay tribute to late artist |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/asantham-to-pay-tribute-to-late-artist/article22899170.ece |work=The Hindu |date=1 March 2018 |language=en-IN}}</ref> Since 2019, Edappally Vadakkumbhagam Service Cooperative Bank has been organizing a state-level art exhibition and awarding the 'Ashanthan Award' in memory of him.<ref>{{cite news |title=അശാന്തം 2023 സംസ്ഥാനതല ചിത്ര പ്രദർശന ഉദ്ഘാടനം |url=https://www.keralasabdam.in/news/inauguration-of-ashantam-2023-state-level-film-exhibition/ |work=www.keralasabdam.in |language=en}}</ref>

==Disrespect to Ashanthan's body==
The Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi, the hall's authorities, decided to keep Ashanthan's body at the Durbar Hall Arts Centre in Eranakulam for public viewing. Although the hall and the temple are in different compounds, the officials of the Shiva temple near the hall asked the Akademi officials to leave the body.<ref name="Indian Express">{{cite news |title=Kerala: Temple objects to artist's body kept for homage in nearby art gallery hall |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kerala-temple-objects-to-artists-body-kept-for-homage-in-nearby-art-gallery-hall-5048584/ |work=The Indian Express |date=2 February 2018 |language=en}}</ref> The temple officials said that the temple pujas had not ended and that keeping the body there for public viewing would defile the temple. Although the Lalitha Kala Akademi activists spoke to the temple authorities, in the meantime a group of people tore down and destroyed the posters and other items displayed at the Durbar Hall.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Anandan |first1=S. |title=Ruckus over displaying artist's body |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/ruckus-over-displaying-artists-body-near-temple/article22612864.ece#:~:text=A%20group%20of%20miscreants%20created%20boisterous%20scenes%20in,artist%20Asanthan%20for%20the%20public%20to%20pay%20homage. |work=The Hindu |date=31 January 2018 |language=en-IN}}</ref>

In response, Akademi Secretary Ponniyam Chandran and Kerala State Culture Minister [[A. K. Balan]] said that the opposition was part of the [[Hindutva]] agenda.<ref name="Indian Express"/> The then Kerala Chief Minister [[Pinarayi Vijayan]] commented that some communalists had shown cruelty to the painter's body and were insulting the body by spreading propaganda that the nearby temple would be impure, and that society should isolate such savages.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Malayalee |first1=Marunadan |title='ചിത്രകാരന്റെ മൃതദേഹത്തോട് ചില വർഗീയ വാദികൾ കാണിച്ചത് ക്രൂരത; തൊട്ടടുത്ത ക്ഷേത്രം അശുദ്ധമാക്കുമെന്ന പ്രചാരണം നടത്തി മൃതദേഹത്തെ അപമാനിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു; ഇത്തരം കാടൻ മനസ്ഥിതിക്കാരെ സമൂഹം... |url=https://marunadanmalayalee.com/pinarayi-98440 |work=marunadanmalayalee.com |date=2 February 2018 |language=ml}}</ref> Singer and music director [[Shahabaz Aman]] commented that it would be the first time in the history of mankind that an artist has been so humiliated and left this earth.<ref name="M">{{cite news |title='അശാന്തന്‍ മടങ്ങിയത് അപമാനിതനായി, കേരളം ഇതിനു വലിയ വില കൊടുക്കേണ്ടി വരും' {{!}} artist ashanthan death controversy {{!}} artist ashanthan {{!}} Shahabaz Aman on artist ashanthan death |url=http://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/news/shahabaz-aman-on-painter-asanthan-mahesh-s-death-asanthan-controversy-casteism-kerala-1.2575311 |work=[[Mathrubhumi]] |date=3 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203081957/http://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/news/shahabaz-aman-on-painter-asanthan-mahesh-s-death-asanthan-controversy-casteism-kerala-1.2575311 |archive-date=2018-02-03}}</ref> Many artists and cultural activists also protested this disrespect, and Akademi executive member Kavita Balakrishnan resigned from her position.<ref>{{cite news |title=Artists decry insult to Asanthan's body {{!}} Artists decry insult to Asanthan's body |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/020218/artists-decry-insult-to-asanthans-body.html |work=www.deccanchronicle.com |date=2 February 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Balan |first1=Saritha S. |title='Shaken our pride in Kerala': Outrage at alleged casteist remarks on artist's body |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/shaken-our-pride-kerala-outrage-alleged-casteist-remarks-artist-s-body-75873 |work=The News Minute |date=4 February 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Balan |first1=Saritha S. |title='Asanthan humiliated': Kerala Lalithakala member quits, row post Dalit artist's death |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/asanthan-humiliated-kerala-lalithakala-member-quits-row-post-dalit-artist-s-death-76016 |work=The News Minute |date=6 February 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

There was also an argument that the temple authorities objected to placing Ashantan's body in the hall because he was a [[Dalit]], but temple secretary Balagopal said that the temple took this approach not because the deceased was a Dalit, but as part of the temple ritual.<ref name="Indian Express"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian male painters]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian painters]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male artists]]

Ashanthan - Revision history

Hossainamzad at 05:49, 21 April 2026